-
Vows to sustain fight against banditry, terrorism
-
No party can defeat APC, Yilwatda boasts
By Jude Opara, Abuja, Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau, Uthman Abubakar, Maiduguri, Uche Nnorom, Makurdi, Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto,& Yakubu Mustapha, Minna
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 general elections following a sweeping victory in the party’s direct primary elections.
The nationwide exercise culminated in a grand collation ceremony at the Ahmed Bola Tinubu International Conference Center (ICC) in Abuja, attended by the party’s national leadership, state governors, National Assembly members, international observers, and officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Announcing the final consolidated results, the Chairman of the Special Presidential Primary Election Committee, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, declared that President Tinubu polled a staggering 10,999,162 votes.
His sole challenger, Edo State businessman and APC chieftain Mr. Sam Osifo (also filed as Stanley Osifo across individual state reports), secured a distant 16,503 votes.
In an acceptance speech filled with momentum, President Tinubu pledged that his administration would utilize the next four years to fully reposition Nigeria on a path of economic recovery and address structural vulnerabilities.
Reflecting on tough reforms passed during his first term—such as fuel subsidy removal, unified exchange rates, and tax adjustments—the President stated:“Many Nigerians still struggle with rising costs and economic adjustment. We do not dismiss these concerns; we understand them and govern not in comfort, but in reality—with honesty and action.
“Our economy has undergone significant structural reform… today, we are witnessing a turnaround: the naira is strengthening, foreign reserves are rising, and our economic outlook is positive despite the inflationary disruption caused by geopolitical crises in the Middle East.”
The President highlighted key developmental milestones, including the deployment of over N282 billion to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) benefiting 1.5 million youth, the closing of the electricity metering gap by 2.5 million meters, and massive engineering feats on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry superhighways.
Turning his attention to the persistent threat of banditry and kidnapping for ransom, the President issued a stern warning to criminal elements, reassuring citizens that state security architecture is undergoing critical transformation.
“I acknowledge the security challenges still confronting parts of our beloved nation. I assure you that I take seriously the responsibility to safeguard the lives and property of every Nigerian…
“ We have invested in intelligence, surveillance, and modern equipment. We also expect the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to allow the creation of State police as a matter of national emergency.
“ We will not rest until we restore peace and stability to every corner of our country,” he said.
How landslide was built
The massive national figure was driven by a wave of high-turnout sweeps across core northern states, characterized by aggressive grassroots mobilization and near-total dominance at the polling units.
Zamfara Grassroots mobilization
The political momentum in Zamfara State kicked off with a colorful grassroots campaign led by the Minister of State for Defence and former Governor, Mohammed Bello Matawalle.
Gathering with thousands of supporters in his hometown and Maradun South ward (Runfar Makaranta), Matawalle led a formal reaffirmation of support for the President’s second-term bid.
“I did not realize the popularity of Tinubu has reached up to a certain impressive level in Zamfara State.
“What I am seeing today is that you people are communicating to me and the President that Zamfara State remains his second home after Lagos State,” Matawalle told the gathering.
This local energy was fully reflected at the official collation center at Government House, Gusau. The Chief Returning Officer for the state’s presidential primary, Governor Dauda Lawal, officially declared President Tinubu the winner across all 14 local government areas.
Out of 365,796 registered party members in Zamfara, 322,435 were accredited. President Tinubu scored 321,579 votes, while Osifo secured just 42 votes.
Borno: Flawless sweeps
In Borno State, the primary was characterized by total dominance from the incumbent. At Mafa Ward—the home ward of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum—President Tinubu achieved a flawless 100% sweep.
The direct primary, conducted at Mafa Central Primary School and presided over by Hajiya Inna Alkali Imam, Chairperson of the Presidential Primary Election Committee, saw all 2,175 accredited voters cast their ballots entirely for Tinubu.
At the state level, Governor Zulum, serving as the State Collation Officer, officially announced the consolidated results at the APC State Secretariat in Maiduguri.
Out of 430,715 registered voters across Borno’s 27 local government areas, approximately 416,000 delegates and party members were accredited. A total of 414,988 votes were cast—all favoring President Tinubu, leaving Osifo with 0 votes statewide.
Benue Overwhelming support across 23 local governments
The story of dominance continued in the North-Central region, where President Tinubu claimed a massive victory across all 23 local government areas of Benue State.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, serving as the Chief Collation and Returning Officer for the state’s presidential primary, announced the final figures.
He certified that out of 375,566 accredited voters, President Tinubu polled 374,787 votes, while Osifo secured 779 votes.
Governor Alia certified the records as accurate, flawless, and truly representative of the local government turnouts.
Niger: Over 175,000 votes certified
The Niger State chapter of the APC announced a definitive primary victory for President Tinubu across its 25 local government areas via the direct primary format.
The State Collation Officer and Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Umar Bago, announced the results in Minna directly following the collation process.
Out of 212,465 party members who participated in the election, President Tinubu scored 175,487 votes, comfortably defeating Stanley Osifo, who received 5,248 votes.
The result sheet was signed by Committee Chairman Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi and Secretary Hon. Adamu Tanko.
Sokoto: An epochal clean sweep of 301,000 votes
President Tinubu recorded an absolute sweep in Sokoto State, winning the entirety of the 301,000 votes cast across the state’s 3,991 polling units.
The State’s Chief Returning Officer, Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, confirmed that 100% of accredited voters backed the President, leaving Osifo with 0 votes.
Governor Ahmed Aliyu expressed delight over the issue-free process across all 23 local government areas, noting that verified results would be transmitted directly to Abuja.
He extended gratitude to the leader of the party in Sokoto, former Governor Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.
The declaration ceremony was attended by high-profile figures, including Deputy Governor Engr. Idris Muhammad Gobir, Minister of State for Works Barrister Muhammad Bello Goronyo, and Speaker of the State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Tukur Bala Bodinga.
“No party can defeat APC in 2027” — Yilwatda
Basking in the euphoria of the massive numbers recorded nationwide, the National Chairman of the APC, Prof. Nantawe Yilwatda, boasted that no alternative political platform in Nigeria can withstand the strength of the ruling party in the 2027 general elections.
Yilwatda argued that the immense influx of new members into the APC shows that the party has become comfortable for everyday citizens:
He said: “If you see the mass turnout yesterday in all the congresses held to nominate the president, the numbers were in their thousands, and this is just a mock demonstration of what the general election will look like. It shows clearly that no other party would win the election. Believe me, no political party can showcase one-tenth of what we presented in their own congresses.”
Addressing internal friction concerning governorship and legislative tickets across individual state chapters, Yilwatda waved aside concerns, citing the party’s strong internal conflict resolution mechanisms.
According to him: “When it comes to power, it is a game of power… We have 16 people vying for a single position of governorship in a state. All of them are eminently qualified—former senators, PhD holders, bankers, oil magnates.
“ So among them, we must pick one of the very best, and for sure people will have one or two complaints. Strong parties have strong opposition from within, all vying for positions.”
He also dismissed viral social media videos suggesting that party officials inflated queue counts during the primary, clarifying that old, unassociated footage was being recirculated maliciously to embarrass the party.
Earlier, the Chairman of the APC Presidential Primary Election Committee, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, explained that votes were seamlessly collated from 8,809 wards across the federation before hitting local government, state, and national centers.
Anyim stated that the adoption of the direct primary model is a bold, historical blueprint for Nigerian politics, giving power directly back to grassroot card-carrying party members. He noted that the primary successfully foreclosed the financial corruption often associated with delegate-based elections, offering complete transparency and ensuring every single party voter felt the weight of their constitutional contribution.
Complete Official Voting Breakdown by State
